1. Technical Field
This invention relates to fire protection equipment, and more particularly, to a remotely operable fire-fighting vehicle.
2. Prior Art
Fighting wind driven brush fires in rugged terrain has been proven to be dangerous and difficult to accomplish. Fires of this type have devastated Southern California at least once a decade for many years, causing huge losses to property owners and insurance companies, as well as injuries and death. Present methods of fighting these fires have proven to be marginal at best, as year after year these fires burn from the San Fernando Valley to Malibu without containment.
Present methods of fighting these fires include conventional fire engines with man held fire hoses, helicopters, aircraft and men with picks and shovels. All these methods have proven to be inadequate to prevent the huge losses that have ensued. The helicopter has been marginally effective because it carries only 300 gallons of water which spreads over a considerable area and partially evaporates before reaching the source of the flames. Aircraft tankers carry up to a thousand gallons of water but suffer from the same limitations as the helicopters namely, evaporation and intermittent application of water. Also, both airborne vehicles are limited to daytime operation since flying at night is too dangerous.
Fire engines are not all terrain vehicles and must operate on roads and close to fire hydrants. Men with pick and shovels cannot operate close to the fire source safely and can be in danger of death or serious injury in case of sudden wind direction change. Patents have been granted for vehicles that can be operated by remote control allowing the fire fighters to remain at considerable distance from the flames and still apply water directly on the source of the flames.
These vehicles may only be effective under ideal conditions, namely having a source of water nearby and long hoses strong enough to feed the vehicle as it attacks the fire in rugged terrain. A fast moving wind driven brush fire would be difficult to contain with these devices due to their limited maneuverability. All of these devices require a source of water connected to the remote control vehicle by long hoses which would be difficult to control in the brush covered less than ideal terrain of Southern California.
Accordingly, a need remains for a self contained vehicle that can operate in rugged terrain, applying water directly to the source of the fire, for extended periods of time, with protection for the crew and heat shielded to protect the vehicle. The present invention satisfies such a need by providing a remotely operable fire-fighting vehicle that could be used to fight wildfires. Such an invention fulfills a need for a new approach in combating wildfires that so often plague the United States, particularly the dry, western regions. The use of a remote control enables it to combat fires in locations that would otherwise be too dangerous for firefighters, saving lives and preventing the spread of such fires.